Lantana plant named ‘Chapel Hill Gold’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Lantana  plant named ‘Chapel Hill Gold’, characterized by its low growing, layered and spreading growth habit; leathery, scabrous dark green foliage; continuous flowering; bright golden yellow flower buds and flowers; and cold hardiness to USDA Hardiness Zone 7.

Genus and species of plant claimed: Lantana sp.

Variety denomination: ‘Chapel Hill Gold’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Lantanaplant, botanically known as Lantana sp., and hereinafter referred to bythe cultivar name ‘Chapel Hill Gold’.

The new Lantana plant originated as a naturally occurring branchmutation on Lantana sp. ‘Chapel Hill Yellow’ (Plant patent applicationSer. No. 11/999,902, filed Dec. 7, 2007, which issued as U.S. Plant Pat.No. 19,548 on Dec. 2, 2008). The cultivar ‘Chapel Hill Gold’ originatedand was discovered in a cultivated environment at Watkinsville, Ga.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by stem cuttings inWatkinsville, Ga. has shown that all the unique features of this newLantana, as herein described, are stable and reproduced true-to-typethrough successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new cultivar ‘Chapel Hill Gold’ have not been observedunder all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may varysomewhat with changes in light, temperature, soil and rainfall without,however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe unique characteristics of ‘Chapel Hill Gold’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Chapel Hill Gold’ as a new and distinctcultivar: 1. Low growing, layered and spreading growth habit; 2.Leathery, scabrous dark green foliage; 3. Continuous flowering; 4.Bright golden yellow flower buds and flowers; and 5. Cold hardiness toUSDA Hardiness Zone 7.

Plants of the new Lantana ‘Chapel Hill Gold’ differ from plants of theparent, ‘Chapel Hill Yellow’, primarily in flower color, as plants of‘Chapel Hill Yellow’ have pale yellow flower buds that open to mediumyellow with a darker yellow-orange center.

Plants of the new Lantana can be compared to plants of the cultivar ‘NewGold’(unpatented). However, in side-by-side comparisons conducted inWatkinsville, Ga., plants of the new Lantana differed from plants of thecultivar ‘New Gold’ in the following characteristics: 1. Plants of thenew Lantana had darker green, thicker, more scabrous foliage than plantsof the cultivar ‘New Gold’; 2. Plants of the new Lantana had brightergolden yellow flower buds and flowers than plants of the cultivar ‘NewGold’; and 3. Plants of the new Lantana were consistently cold hardyfrom year to year, whereas plants of the cultivar ‘New Gold’ lackedconsistent cold hardiness.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying color photographs illustrate the flower and foliagecharacteristics and the overall appearance of the new Lantana, showingthe colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colorreproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differslightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanicaldescription which accurately describe the colors of the new Lantana.

FIG. 1 illustrates the overall appearance of a mature plant of ‘ChapelHill Gold’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of the inflorescences of ‘Chapel HillGold’.

FIG. 3 illustrates a close-up view of the foliage of ‘Chapel Hill Gold’.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used for thedescription were grown in 11.8 L containers under outdoor conditions ina nursery in Watkinsville, Ga. Plants were 6 months old when thedescription was recorded. Colors are described using The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.).

-   Botanical classification: Lantana sp., cultivar ‘Chapel Hill Gold’.    Parentage:—Lantana sp. cultivar ‘Chapel Hill Yellow’ (U.S. Plant    Pat. No. 19,548). Propagation: Type cutting—terminal cuttings. Time    to initiate roots, summer—about 10 days at 32° C.-   Plant description: Perennial flowering plant; subshrub; low growing,    layered and spreading growth habit. Freely branching; two lateral    branches potentially forming at every node; pinching enhances    lateral branch development.    -   -   Root description.—Numerous, fine, fibrous and well-branched.        -   Plant height.—About 40 cm. Plant diameter: about 120 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Having a length of about 15 cm and a            diameter of about 2.5 mm. Shape: Squarish.        -   Internode length.—About 5.5 cm.        -   Strength.—Strong, but flexible.        -   Texture.—Coarse, pubescent.        -   Color (young).—Close to 144A. Color (woody): close to 199A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple. Length: about 4 cm. Width:            about 3 cm. Shape: ovate. Apex: acute. Base: cuneate.            Margin: crenate.        -   Texture (upper surface).—Leathery, moderately waxy, with            scabrous pubescence. Texture (lower surface): rough, with            hispid pubescence.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate. Venation color (upper surface):            close to 144A. Venation color (lower surface): close to            144A.        -   Fragrance.—Pungent, mint-like.        -   Color in developing foliage (upper surface).—Close to 137A.            Color in developing foliage (lower surface): close to 138B.            Color in fully expanded foliage (upper surface): close to            137A. Color in fully expanded foliage (lower surface): close            to 137C.        -   Petiole length.—About 8 mm. Petiole diameter: about 2 mm.            Petiole texture, both surfaces: hispid pubescence. Petiole            color (upper surface): close to 143A. Petiole color (lower            surface): close to 144A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and habit.—Small salverform flowers arranged in            axillary corymbs; flowers face mostly upward or outward.            Flowers are self-cleaning. Freely flowering with potentially            two inflorescences per node; typically about 27 flowers per            corymb. Natural flowering season: spring until frost in the            autumn; flowering is continuous. Flower longevity on the            plant: about one week. Fragrance: faint, pleasant.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 3.4 cm. Inflorescence height:            about 1.7 cm.        -   Flower appearance.—Flared trumpet, corolla fused,            four-parted; flowers roughly rectangular in shape. Diameter:            about 8 mm by 12 mm. Corolla tube length: about 1.2 cm.        -   Flower bud length.—About 6 mm. Flower bud diameter: about            2 mm. Flower bud shape: oblong. Flower bud color: close to            17B.        -   Pedicels.—Not observed, flowers not stalked.-   Petals:    -   -   Arrangement/appearance.—Single whorl of four petals, fused            into flared trumpet.        -   Petal length from throat.—About 4.5 mm for upper and lower            petals and about 3 mm for lateral petals.        -   Petal width.—Upper and lower petals are about 7 mm. Lateral            petals are about 3.5 mm.        -   Petal shape.—Spatulate to somewhat orbicular. Petal apex:            obtuse. Petal base: fused. Petal margin: entire. Petal            texture, upper and lower surfaces: smooth, glabrous.        -   Color of petal lobes, when opening and fully opened, upper            surface.—Close to 17A. Color of petal lobes, when opening            and fully opened, lower surface: close to 17B. Color of            throat: close to 17A. Color of tube: close to 17B.-   Sepals:    -   -   Arrangement/appearance.—One sepal per flower at the base of            the corolla, leaf-like. Length is about 5 mm. Width is about            1 mm. Shape: lanceolate. Apex: acute. Margin: entire.            Texture, upper and lower surface: scabrous.        -   Color, upper and lower surfaces.—Close to 144A.-   Peduncles: Length is about 4.3 cm. Diameter is about 2 mm. Angle:    about 45 degrees from the stem. Strength: flexible, but strong.    Color: close to 144A.-   Stamens:    -   -   Quantity/arrangement.—Four per flower, adnate to the inside            of the corolla tube. Anther shape: oblong. Anther length:            less than 1 mm. Anther color: close to 200A. Pollen amount:            none observed.-   Pistils:    -   -   Quantity.—One per flower. Pistil length: about 2.5 mm.            Stigma shape: rounded. Stigma color: close to 145A. Style            color: close to 145A. Ovary color: close to 145A.-   Fruit:    -   -   Type/appearance.—Drupe. Shape: round. Diameter: about 5 mm.            Mature color: 202A. Number per Infructescence: about 5.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the claimed Lantana variety grown    in the garden have not been noted to be resistant to pathogens and    pests common to Lantana.-   Weather and temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Lantana variety    have been observed to be tolerant to rain and wind, and have been    observed to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from about 0    degrees C. to about 38 degrees C. and are hardy to about USDA    Hardiness Zone 7.

1. A new and distinct Lantana plant named ‘Chapel Hill Gold’, asillustrated and described herein.